THE TRUTH BEHIND A HAPPY

FAMILY
The life in Cambodia have a lot of impact on every families. Although, they still
keep calm and work hard for the best of the family.

Picture of one of the family in Cambodia.

THE POVERTY
Nowadays, there are so many global issues occur such as social issues, political
issues, economic issues, and environmental issues; which have a lots and impacts on
individual or even the whole world. So we are now facing threats that humans never
faced before. But what are the worlds biggest problems?
Poverty it occurs almost in every countries. However, Cambodia is one of the
poorest countries in Southeast Asia.
One third of the population lives below the poverty line - live on less than $2.00
a day. according to World Vision. Even Cambodia have the largest agricultural
industry, the people still suffer from a lack of infrastructure. From that, this is the big
problem that have lots of impacts on the life of citizens in Cambodia as 80% of
population rely on farming to live.
After all, we decided to find out the truth about their life in Siem Reap. Siem
Reap is a town lie on the northwestern boundary of Cambodia, also a capital city of
Cambodia. It is the gate way to the ruins of Angkor and where the Khmer kingdom
were stayed during the 9th century to the 15th century.
When we look into Siem Reap, the outside of this province might only tell that
this is where the industry grow the best. However, if we take a look inside, there are
so many family having hard time with poverty.

June, 2010
As we arrived in Siem Reap, we
settled at a small household at a
Phnom Dei hill near Siem Reap for
6 months; where is a complex
location for citizens to climb up
and
down
the
hill
for
transportation. However, the benefit
here is the weather. As it is on a
high place, its weather is quite cool,
quite humid and fresh.
Every day, we walked down hill
and visit a village. We have
gathered at a small household that we could interview with. This family has 8 members 6 child
and parents, they live in a corrugated metal house, which was a very low quality material that
could easily destroy if there is wind storm.
Here, we found out a bunch of stories behind that happy smile of this family.
I could not afford a large amount of money for letting my children go to school. Also, one of the
sons was getting into an accident, so we have to put a lot of efforts in that to find money for the
treatment, also the food, water and stuffs that we need for daily life. Mrs. Jasmine Wilson, the
mother was crying during saying this.
From that, we have made her calm down and gave her some advices, so she could decide on
what will she want to improve and develop the family lifestyle.
After interviewing some questions, we
have gone down for a walk, so that we
could get some more information in this
area. During walking down the village,
we have seen a lot of differences
between the right side and the left side.
That was left side mostly are occurring
and covering with landmines but the
right hand side is where the citizen stay.
Moreover, this has brought a lot of
unconvinced
for
villagers
in
agricultural or building houses.
As much as 35% of land in Afghanistan and Cambodia is now unusable. According to Care,
the charity that support poverty-fighting development and humanitarian aid projects. This leads
to loss of land for agricultural, grazing and trading between countries or villages, town; which
could lead to unemployment as the people there dont have jobs to do such as farmers, miners.
That could lead to low or even not earn enough income for their family.

MORE ABOUT WILSONS FAMILY

From what we had observed in Siem Reap for a week, we got closer to Mr. and Mrs.
Wilsons family that we interviewed them a while ago. Then we got the chance to meet
with Mr. James Wilson, 41 years old the kingpin in the family.
In addition, Mr. Wilson
is a generous and
always take care the
others, even they are
not his family, so his
fellows have really
love
him
and
I and my brother tried to
respect
him.
-Mr. James Wilson, father
talk with him about this
Moreover,
he
said.situation, because there
always want the
was a time that he only
best for his family so he once decided to work for 7
work and work, which
days a week, without a day-off, so that he could
gain more income. And he just works like that
reflected his health that he
without hesitating or even satisfy. However, his has suffered in a really bad
wife and his children werent agree with him, so
fever.
they did talk about this problems with him. After
-His youngest son saidthat talk, it actually worked, their father decided to
work 6 days a week so that he could have a day-off.
However, that one day-off still not enough as he is now old so sometimes he starts to
have a headache if he contacts with the sun too many times.
With the role of taking care of the child at home, cook,
Human
and do laundry and agricultural, we got to meet Mrs.
trafficking is a
Jasmin Wilson. As she is a responsible and endure
person, so she also makes sure that her child all have
profitable
good meals, clean water, medical treatment and
business that is
enough sanitary monthly. From that, Mrs. and Mr.
difficult to
Wilson has worked really hard every day that they
defeat.
could receive enough income to let their children
achieve
-Pianzzano said- their dreams, which are going to school. Even she is
now 40
years old and have a bad back since she fell down
Phorn Bopha,
during
farming, so that if she is overworking, then during
night she
would have a really bad backache
Colin Lovett,
VOA News (June Unfortunately, their child are all born in a bad
condition
and lack of education, so they grow up without
10, 2015)
educated,
which lead to unemployment or do not even access to
Poverty Pushes
read and
write. That has caused them to do not have an
Cambodians
opportunity to access to high paid work, so they could
Abroad
use that
money to improve and develop their family life.
From
that, Mrs. Wilson decided to send her children: one
male and two female, abroad so they could receive any experience, which could help
Im working as a fisher to
find money for my beloved
family. And I always work
really hard so that I could
send my children to
school.

their parents in developing their life and earning extra money. As there are not any other
ways so they have accepted this way and send their child abroad.
Moreover, this was a sad decision for her children, because they have to stay away their
family, cannot see their family in a long term period or even get to see their brothers and
sisters. That sometimes, if there is something happen to them, so their family might not
know about it. Moreover, if they are too depressed then they decide to something that
unacceptable, which could make their family even worse. But towards the son and
daughters, this would be a good decision, as they could use this opportunity to access to
jobs and find money. Which already could solve their family problems and stay away the
word Poverty, because if they go abroad, the income would increase more.
As we all
known, if
I had never blamed my mom and dad for letting me go abroad. Because I know that
we
are my family doesnt have enough money, so I would take this chance to gain more money
going
to then send them back to my family. That also solve the heavy weight of taxes, loans that
choosing
my mom and dad have to carry by their own.
there
is
-John Wilson, the oldest son saidalways
a
negative

side and positive side happen just like if we decided to sell items in market, there are 50%
of can sell and 50% cannot sell. Moreover, this is also hard for a rich family or a business
to make a decision. However, if we take a look at Wilsons family, they already have
scarcity on make decision. Which mean that, if they choose just a one wrong choice, this
already going to destroy their family. From that, Wilsons family, but specially Mr. and
Mrs. Wilson are working even harder so that they could adapt a better choice for their
family and their individual children.
Apart from sending three of the oldest children abroad, Wilsons family has another three
young child stay at home for helping their family in farming, so that the mother would

I dont mind how much tired or hard

work I have to carry, but all I want is
helping beside my mom and helping
her to look after the brother. So
that she wont be so tired!
-Jimmy strongly saidnot be so tired. Which are Jim, 10 years
old boy, Pete, 6 years old boy and Tom,
the youngest child, 5 years old. Three of
them are all working really hard to help their parents. Even the youngest one has never
satisfy for once and he even work harder, even he is a violent and aggressive boy that his
family cannot handle with him sometimes. Additionally, Jim just got into an accident a
while ago, just a week in the first month that we arrived, which he has to use out the
income that he got to pay for the treatment. Instead of staying home and get a better
treatment, he is still working very hard by his moms side, with the same time of his
treatment. From that, he only earns 80% of his income monthly as another 20% already
gone for his treatment payment.
In the same situation to Jimmy, Pete always wants
to be a football player in the future and when we
saw him playing on the field with his friend, he was
so shining bright like a star and standing out from
-said Pete with a shy smilehis major of friends. However, he didnt get the
chance to go to school so he couldnt perfect his
skills, which sometimes he is still lacking
something on the field. Meanwhile, he was working
on the farm with his brothers to help their parents.
From that, instead of choosing to stay in a nice, beautiful, and comfortable concrete
house, Wilsons family chose to stay in a corrugated metal house. Because it is not too
high or too low as it is only 20 dollars per month with an extra 3 dollars each person. As
the same time, they could save money for other facilities, such as buying wood for
warming them up during the cold
weather or during night; and having a
nice and healthy meal included rice,
vegetables and meat so that they could
receive enough nutrients. Moreover, as
Wilsons Family members are working
hard and saving money, which helps
them get clean water for each per day.
From that, they wont have to access
to dirty water, which could causes the
disease to the family.
Moreover, they couldnt afford to let their child to get educated in the school, which their
child could not read and write at all. However, they have the trade-offs that they could
My wish is to play with Mr.
Rooney on the field.

No matter what, I will work as hard

as I can so that I could send my
children to school because I dont
want my child to wasting their ages
without seeing friends and touching
books.
-Mrs. Wilson and hug her child at the
same time-

use that money for the

other things such as health
check-ups monthly and
enough sanitary products
like
soap,
laundry
detergent,
toothbrush,
toothpaste, etc. daily.
From that, they would
keep their health better
even they have to give up
on letting their children go

to school.
Even worst, they also need to save more money to pay for
government tax and bribes to local mafia, which took up 10% for tax
and 5% to bribes of the income of all members of the family. This
took them a longer time to afford the goals to letting their children go
to school, because the money that they receive every month have to
pay off 15% for each person already.

I always
wish to go to
school, meet
new friends
and learn
something in
the school, but
as our family
cant afford so
we have to
admit that.
But I will try
my best to
gain more
income!
-Jimmy said-

In addition, they had

lose their next best choice or opportunity
to go to school, but for Mrs. Wilson
she is still working even harder so that
she could afford the money to send their
children to go to school no matter what.
As we already know that we could not
wasting our time for studying, so her
child are also even work harder so they
could help their mother gain more
income.
Fortunately, that at Siem Reap doesnt
get too much disaster like the others
province, so this is also an advantages for them in agricultural. As the weather is nice,
sunny and also have enough rain, which best
Normally, he would bully at home during
for farming. From that, their farming jobs gain
working with mom but then now he is
a lot of income, which helps them get back
helping me sometimes. Also, he taught me
with 14.85 dollars. Also, that is a good sign
how to spell some words.
that could let their child go to school. We
know how much Jimmy wants to go school
-Pete said with a big smile on his facebut then he denied this opportunity and give to
his youngest brother. That he decided to stay
home first to work and find more money so that he could go to school later. Because he
just got into an accident so he doesnt want his parents to be more tired for paying his
treatment bill and school tuition at the same time.
Mr. Wilson then decided to let Thomas or Tom go to school because he is a violent and
aggressive boy in the second month. So he would like to send him to school which could
make him meet the outside world, that could help him in improving himself and get risk

of the bad habit in him. Fortunately, it did work as we could tell in the one month. That
his manners got better, he is now a kind boy and helpful boy than before, which really
pleased his family.
Even luckier, Tom could also
go to school monthly without
cutting off. Because they now
gain more income as they are
working harder, so now the
repay is that letting the child
go to school. Now in the third
month, they still need to save
more money and the result
came out that the income
increased by roughly 12
dollars.
From this, it opens another
opportunity for them to let
I really happy to see me brother could play on the
field and represent for his school and also really
pleased that their scores are so high.
-Jimmy said with tearsanother child to go to school. However,
Jimmy still didnt want to go to school yet, but they at home and help his mom. Then he
again give this opportunity back to another younger brother so that we could get to read
and write. So in this fourth month, all Tom and Peter could go to school. Fortunately, as
they all are wishing to go to school as always, so they have done a really good jobs in
school and even got grade A+ as a result. Moreover, his brother, Pete, also get to join the
football team of the school. So this could be advantages for him is that he could improve
his own football skills.
His mother thought that things started to
go fine as there are no problems that she
heard from the child that abroad, or no
problems that caused by her two son
that going to school. Unfortunately, on
the fifth month, there was a bad new
that Mrs. Wilson just known that
actually Jenifer, who goes abroad was
being prostitute. From that, she was
really depressed and down but it is good
that she didnt feel sick. After that, Mrs.
Wilson has brought Jennifer home.
From this, we got to meet one of daughter so we could know more about how hard she
has been abroading. After interview, we had known a lots of reasons why has she decided
on that job. Not because she wants to do it, but there are no more choice that she could

make. As all she wants is to work and get a high I had never regretted of choosing
income then send back to her mom, so that her
this job! Because I just want the
brothers at home could go to school, her family
best for my family!
could afford to eat healthy food, access to clean
water, get medical daily and enough sanitary, also
-Jenifer said without hesitatehave enough money for paying taxes and bribes
to government and local mafia.
As her mother does not want to see her daughter being in a bad condition, or low down
her pride by finding money through this
thoughtless idea. From that, instead of working
on the farm with her mom and brothers, her
mother has loaned a micro loan from the bank
for her.
From that, Jennifer has begun her own
business, which is
Its really good that Jennifer could
really successful
in the end. That realized what she has done wrong and
improved it. Moreover, I really
she is now making a clay products that using for cooking or
pleased t hat she could have make a
planting. Moreover, her business also grow really fast that
the income came back by double than before, which help
really successful on her clay
their family a lot in living. Even they do not have a large
products.
savings, it still help them to remain their youngest members
-Her dad with a shaken voicego to school monthly. The result came out that her parents
feel really pleased on what she has done.
Unfortunately, on the sixth month, there was an AIDS prevention team came for checking
up on their health and also to see if they are infected. Living in a bad condition of
environment in living and lacking of education, so they didnt have enough knowledge
about AIDS. From that, the Wilsons have infected by AIDS. However, the AIDS has
kindly provide a free AIDS treatment
There are more than 74,000 number of
for the whole family and also the
people living with HIV due to lack of
fellows in the village. They also
education. Therefore, they do not know
provide some information and teach
them about their status so that they
about their status about HIV.
could know how to treat for it and get
-According to UNAIDS, a charity fight
a better health. Moreover, they also
against HIV/AIDSgot decreased the price of sanitary so
that the people who living there could
afford to sanitary and also for
Wilsons family.

The Last Month with Wilsons Family

After six months observing in Cambodia, as a reporter, we get to know much more about
the life in Cambodia. Seeing they are smiling, playing and having fun. Actually it does
not what it look like, they actually have to work really hard to achieve a higher income.
From that, they could send their children to school or having enough materials for their
family and even a healthy meal.
We can see that poverty had affected Cambodia so much. As it already ceased the
opportunity for the citizen and now Cambodians have to make decision for their living.
Such as sending their children abroad so that they could receive a good income for the
family, or not they would be dying because of lacking of food, medical, sanitary, house
and education. Moreover, they might need to choose to let their children stay at home and
help the family business like farming or fishing, which finding the way out from poverty
life.
Even more, they did not have enough money for education, which leads to having HIV or
AIDS without noticing. Like Wilsons family, they actually got AIDS but they just known
when the AIDS/HIV team came and gave a check-up on them. However, thankful to
them, they provided a free treatment for them, which they have to pay anything.
Furthermore, the price of sanitary also decreased, so they do not have pay a lot of money
on that, but actually easy to get. In addition, we
have to say thank you to the AIDS prevention team,
CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They have
provided some knowledge to Cambodian about
HIV/AIDS and taught them how to prevent that or
get a right and a better treatment.
And it is also the time that we have to say good bye to Cambodia and specially to
Wilsons family. At first we decided to go to the airport by ourselves, but Mr. And Mrs.
Wilson has arrived us to airport for paying what we have done and helped them through
this six months. From that, it makes us realised that:
No matter how hard they are, but their feelings always good towards to the others.
said by one of my team members, Khing

December, 2010

THE TRUTH BEHIND A

HAPPY FAMILY
Sarocha Wuttipong

Masna Thoumprathom
Khwanchanok Chaichanayothinwatchara